THE EAGLE'S DEBT

MAY 29TH (2)

The city of Rome was fully awake beneath the bright afternoon light. Cars flowed endlessly through the busy streets, their windows catching the sun and flashing like scattered mirrors. Tall buildings sparkled under the endless blue sky and the air carried the mixed scents of espresso, warm pavement and distant exhaust. Rose let out a heavy breath as she adjusted her simple professional dress, smoothing the fabric with slightly trembling fingers. She needed this job desperately. Even though she had never attended college she was willing to take anything.

A cleaner.

A messenger.

Whatever they would offer.

She raised her hand and knocked slowly on the heavy office door.

The manager opened it with a confused expression, already placing one hand on his head and shaking it continuously.

“Why are you here?” he asked, looking her up and down.

“This is an international company, you know and we are looking for assistants to the boss.”

“More like a personal assistant huh?” Rose asked carefully.

He only nodded.

She took a steadying breath and continued “I really need this job sir. Maybe not as a personal assistant. Maybe any job lower than that.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Niel” he said already turning away. “Sorry, but—”

“Maybe I can even work shifts.”

“Sorry.”

“Sir, please.” Her voice softened with urgency.

“I need this job. Anything would do.”

She was still in the middle of begging when his phone rang. The moment he answered his entire posture changed. He listened for a few seconds then looked at her with new eyes.

“The boss wants to see you.”

“The boss?”

Her heart immediately began to race as she was led down a long polished hallway toward the largest office on the floor.

She knocked once immediately a very husky, painfully familiar voice answered from inside.

“Come in.”

She stepped through the door and froze in her spot.

“Victor DeLuca! “

“Good to see you, princess.”

Rose sighed heavily.

Her fingers ran through her hair scattering her ponytail and leaving it messy. Victor DeLuca was her ex a brutal, calculating man. They had broken up years ago right after she graduated from high school when she caught him with his personal assistant, Carol who was now his wife.

“Flower” he teased using the old pet name that still made her skin crawl.

“It’s Rose” she corrected coldly. “And bloody hell, I didn’t know you owned this company.”

“Really?” He raised an eyebrow clearly amused. “Didn’t look like it.”

He adjusted his expensive tux before sitting down behind the large desk. Then he picked up her thin file and began flipping through the pages with slow, deliberate movements.

“You didn’t attend college huh?”

“Yes.”

“Why? I would have helped you Rose.”

Now he was acting like he cared. She rolled her eyes dramatically.

“Not that it would matter to you” she shot back taking a seat across from him.

“Look I know you Victor, you always want something in return.”

“Your body?” he whispered then chuckled darkly. “I like that you’re still feisty… but I have a better deal for you.”

Hope flickered inside her chest despite the countless disappointments she had already endured.

“What?”

“I found him.”

“Who?”

“The eagle.”

Memories flooded back like a violent waterfall every terrifying image from her childhood nightmares crashing over her at once.

The fire.

The blood.

The eagle symbol left on the ground.

“Who is he?” she demanded leaning forward. “Where can I see him? I can’t wait to kill him myself. He’s going to answer to me.”

“Whoa! whoa! Relax! flower” Victor cut in smoothly. “Not so fast. First, you need to sign these.”

He slid a set of documents across the desk. Rose stared at them in confusion as if she had momentarily forgotten who she was dealing with. She read through the pages without fully understanding the legal language then her heart began pounding too loudly in her ears.

“You bring him to us” Victor explained calmly “and we give you protection afterward.”

Rose let out a short bitter laugh. “Protection? What am I going to use that for?”

“He’s very powerful Rose. And sooner or later… you will need me.”

She played with the expensive pen for a long moment, turning it between her fingers. Then, with a sharp breath she signed the deal.

“Forget about the job Victor,” she said as she stood. “I don’t need it anymore.”

“Really?” He smirked. “Because I was considering hiring you as a cleaner.”

Rose rolled her eyes at the deliberate insult, she gathered her things she walked out of the office without looking back but with her mind already racing with the name she had waited years to hear.